A Limpopo family has threatened to take legal action against the Health Department after an 81 year old family member allegedly experienced complications at a vaccination site and passed away the following day.
The family of the deceased pensioner, Roger Thenga, from Ha-Matsila village outside Louis Trichardt, accuses health workers of negligence at a vaccination site at Bungeni village.
Family spokesperson Ambani Thenga says his father collapsed after the vaccination and was not given medical attention last week Thursday.
“Medical attention was not provided when it has to be provided, and our simple statement is that someone goes to the facility able to walk, able to converse making telephone calls talking to his kids saying I am actually going there to vaccinate finally, after getting the jab he is no longer talking, he is no longer walking and they allow that to happen. All we are saying we are saying is that there is an element of gross negligence from the part of the department, it does not matter how they come and sugar coat the story and that’s how we are going to deal with it,” says Thenga.
Meanwhile, Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba earlier said that after the vaccination, the elderly man was observed and screened before leaving the vaccination site.
Speaking to SABC News, Ramathuba has denied that the man experienced complications shortly after the vaccine.
She however said that the matter is still being investigated.
